Shabby Chic Small Table

This little table was an ideal piece of furniture to "shabby chic", small and a nice easy project although sanding is a little more time consuming.

Although my Makita sander tackled most of the work, it was a little to big to get into all the "nooks and crannies", so had to be sanded by hand.

The small table once sanded was ready for undercoating and a couple of coats were applied, sanding in between each coat. You can "get away" with undercoating especially with "breathable" paint like Farrow & Ball but I prefer to start of using a good undercoat base.

Not only will undercoating ensure a good base to start from, it also adds to the "shabby chic" look. I have been very tempted to paint in various colours and allow some to show through, I have seen some great looking piece of furniture in this style.

Have to finish the Welshdresser I am working on first though!

The shabby chic table was then painted with a very good paint, similar to Farrow & Ball and just as good. For a free colour chart please email me.

Once a couple of coats had been applied, sanding in between, then next was to apply a wax finish. I use Liberon wax and very pleased with the results, a great little table in my opinion, very ornate.

The shabby chic table would look good along side with the shabby chic rocking chair or ideal for a potted plant maybe in the hallway or conservatory.

The Shabby Chic table measures 15" inches high and the top measures 10" inches by 8 1/2" inches.

Shabby Chic Rocking Chair

The rocking chair has been hand painted in a shabby chic style to create an aged look. Crafted from wood, the rocking chair is a good solid piece of furniture ideal for the home.

The old rocking chair was originally varnished and the joints were loose, ideal piece of furniture to "shabby chic". I have re glued all the joints, removed the old varnish and sanded the rocking chair.

 Then I applied two coats of undercoat paint, sanding between each coat ready for the top coat. The other week I discovered a great paint, ideal for painting furniture in a shabby chic style.

 

Its very similar to Farrow & Ball, I could not tell the difference myself and the finish looks wonderful. The colour I chose for the rocking chair was Slaked Lime, almost white and the finish was exactly what I was trying to achieve.

Once I had applied 3 coats, sanding off in between each coat of paint, the next stage was to finish with a decent wax polish. For this I used the best, Liberon clear wax which is a great product and used fine wire wool to apply.

 

The result is very pleasing on the eye, the wax has toned down the white and left a warm patina. All the shabby chic rocking chair needs now is a good cushion and there is so much choice, was almost tempted to make one myself, maybe next time!

The shabby chic rocking chair measures 40" inches high, 22" at its widest and rockers measure 29 1/2" inches. The seat measures 19 1/2" inches at its widest along the front and is 14 1/2" inches deep.

Vintage Retro 4 Drawer Filing Cabinet Industrial Polished Metal Furniture

Last month I stripped and polished a 4 drawer metal filing cabinet, its dirty work but the results are worth the effort. This filing cabinet has been stripped and polishes, apart from the back which has the original paint, I was thinking of painting this with black Hammerite paint although its not going to be seen.

I have finished this filing cabinet with a wax polish gives it a great patina, very 'industrial' but as its wax, its going to require re-waxing from time to time. Its not difficult to do and over time, each layer of wax adds to the overall look of the filing cabinet.

They can be sprayed with a laquer paint which is more durable and requires less attention but for me, its not as nice a finish, each to their own I guess. Maybe the next one I complete I will try out laquer although I did read somewhere that there's a good chance that the laquer can wear of or even start to peel if not done correctly.

This filing cabinet has had a couple of knocks and bumps, nothing too serious, the drawers are still functional. The one is on the side although if this side is placed against a wall then its not going to be noticeable. The other is on one of the drawer fronts and the 'back' plate shows through a little.

For me, it adds character and considering its age, the filing cabinet must be getting on for 30 years old if not older, its in a good condition for its age. Saying that, these old filing cabinets are very robust and not much can go wrong with them, ideal for storage in a workshop or even the home.

They do make a great 'statement' piece in the home and placed in the right spot they will attract attention. The drawers on this one are not the deep type for hanging files on, the sides are shallow and each drawer is divided into sections.

The starting price for this filing cabinet is very reasonable in my opinion and a bargain especially if you can pick it up in person. I can arrange delivery and have a great courier who can deliver to the UK Mainland at very reasonable rates, down to London from £35.00 and they will even assist with positioning the filing cabinet within the home or workshop.

Although I always accept returns if you are not pleased with your purchase, especially if not as described (sometimes happens although I always supply plenty of good photo's and accurate descriptions) so please only bid on this filing cabinet once you have viewed all photo's.

If still unsure then by all means send me an email or message through Ebay and I will be happy to answer all questions. I am online most of the times these day unless in the workshop restoring or up-cycling more 'pre-loved' (secondhand although 'pre-loved furniture' sounds much nicer) furniture.

If you have never considered buying 'pre-loved' furniture then its worth checking out because there are some great things out there. Far cheaper than new, much better than 'flat pack' and the quality is second to none, plus a good investment for some pieces because the value will not go down and looking at the market, they are rising all the time especially the Dutch retro furniture.

Anyways, good luck with the bidding if you decide to buy this filing cabinet. To learn more please visit my ebay shop -Virtually Sold

Formica Sideboard 1950's